Recording device



Nov. 24, 1931. s. E. SWICK RECORDING DEVICE Filed June 1. 192 4 Sheets-Sheet j? A TO/WVEKS NOV. 24, 1931. sw c 1,832,918

RECORDING DEVICE Filed June 1. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,4 T/TOF/VEKS Nov. 24, 1931. s. E. SWICK 1,832,913

RECORDING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1927 4 ShetsSheet 3 Nov. 24, 1931. s. E. swlcK RECORDING DEVICE Filed June 1, 192'? 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 A Troy/V5215.

Patented Nov. .24 1931 sEwAnn E. SWIGK, on

PATENT OFFICE.

SYRACUSE, NEW YORK RECORDING- DEVIGE' Application filed J une; 1',

cording device disclosed and claimed in my prior copending application Serial Number 81,070, filed January 12, 1926.

An object of this invention is to generally improve and simplify recordingdevices, particularly those of the type disclosed in my said copending application 7 p A further object of the invention istocprovide an improved recording device whichwill have the capacity of recording a considerable number of operations in any unit of time; and with which the total number of operations performed in any selected duration oftime may be easily computed.

A further object of the invention istoprovide, in a recording device, novel and improved means for advancing the recording element into new recording positions after each operation, and for automatically resetting the recording element to initiall recording position after a selected numberof operations have been recorded.

A. "further object is to provide an improved recording device which will be exceptionally dependable, durable, compact, and simple in construction, and relatively inexpensive.

Various other objects and advantages will be'apparent from the following description 7 of an embodiment oi the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out hereinafter inconnection with the appended claims. 7

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig.1 is a side elevation, with the enclosing casing in section, of a recording device constructed in accordance with, this invention;

tion of the same;

plates 4;- of the supporting frame.

Fig. 2 is a similar but opposite side eleva- 1927.. Serial No. 195,711.

the same, with the section taken approximately along theline 44: of Fig. 3.;

Fig. 5 isa top plan ofthe device ;v

Fig. 6' is a rear elevatiomfsimilar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the relative position of the I parts during arecording operation;

Fig. 7 is a sectional elevation of" a part of the device, and illustratingthe mounting for the recording element at the instant before it is returned to initial position;

Fig. 8. is a sectional elevation illustrating the position of the mounting and parts; carried thereby at the instant after return to starting or initial position and before another recording operation has started, the section being taken approximately along the line 8.-8 of; Fig. 11;.

Fig. 9 1s an elevation of a part of the device showing the manner in which the mounting for the recording element is released for return; Fig. 10 is a plan of the recording element and the mounting for the same;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation of the same; with the section. taken approximately" along the line 11-11 ofFig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is another sectional elevation through the same, with the section taken approximately along the line 12-12 of Fig. 8.

In the illustrated embodiment of the, invention, a. record sheet 1,. which may, for example, be of parchment or paper, is preferably provided, as usual in the arti,-with a plurality of transverse rulings or lines (not shown) dividing the surface intotransversely extending sections or areas corresponding to increments of time and which will correspond to the rate of travel of the strip. This record sheet is wound: upon a supply r0112, and the shaft '3 of the latter is rotatahly mounted, in any suitable manner,in the side The recordsheetl is conducted from the supply roll 2 over a recording plate ortable 5 (Figs 3 and 1.1) and then is Wound upon a take-upo'r receiving roll 6.

Arecording stylus or element 7 is actuated into'engagejment with the portion of the rec- 0rd sheet over the table or plate 5 at each operation of the machine or apparatus whose cording stylus or element 7.

record of operations is to be kept, the stylus being normally out of engagement with the sheet, so as to permit movement of the sheet past the stylus progressively in accordance with the lapse of time. Hence by the position of any record made by the stylus on the sheet, the time interval in which that record was made may be ascertained by observing the location of that record with respect to the time indications upon the sheet. At each operation the recording element or stylus 7 is advanced to a new recording position in a direction transversely of the direction of travel of the sheet, so that no two records will be made on the same spot or area of the record sheet.

The table or plate 5 preferably is cylin- .drically convex upon its upper surface and is provided in that surface with a groove, slot or depression 8 (Fig. 11) running lengthwise of the same immediately beneath the re- The stylus may be pointed, so that when it is moved into engagement with the record sheet, it will punch a hole in the sheet as a record of one operation, and the slot or groove 8 immediately beneath the sheet at the point where the record is made permits passage of the stylus entirely through the sheet without danger of injury to the piercing point of the stylus. The ends of the table or bar 5 are mounted upon upright plates 9 which are in turn mounted upon a cross bar 10, Fig. 3, extending between the side frame plates l.

The supply roll 2 may be mounted adjacent the front of the frame formed by the plates 4, and the sheet 1 passed" around the rear of the cross bar 10, thence over a portion of the periphery of a pair of feeding drums or cylinders 11 disposed at the ends of the uprights 9, then over the convex surface of the table or plate 5, and then forwardly to the supply roll, so as to carry the area of the sheet leaving the table or plate 5 for a short distance immediately beneath a sight window 12 which is provided in the upper surface or top of a casing 13 which encloses the entire recording device.

One of the drums or cylinders 11 is provided on its periphery with teeth 14 which are spaced apart in a direction peripherally of the drum by an amount corresponding to the space between adjacent perforations 15 (Figs. 5 and 6) that are provided along the adjacent marginal side edge of the record sheet 1. The teeth 14 enter the perforations or apertures 15 of the portion of the sheet passing over that drum 11, and by controlling the rotation of the drums 11 the rate of travel of the record sheet over the recording table or plate 5 may be controlled or regulated. \Vhile only one of the drums 11 is illustrated as provided with prongs or teeth 14, and only one side of the record sheet as perforated, it will be understood that similar teeth 1& and

perforations 15 may be provided on the other drum 11 and the other side of the record sheet, if desired. The drums 11 are fixed upon a shaft 16 which extends between and is rotatably mounted in opposite parts of the side frame plates 4, the shaft at one end extending through one of the plates 4: and having fixed thereon a gear wheel 17 and a ratchet wheel 18.

A holding pawl or lever 19, pivoted at 20 upon one of the side frame plates at, is provided with a tooth 21 which is adapted to enter the spaces between the teeth of the gear wheel 17 and normally look the wheel 17, and through it the shaft 16 and drums 11 against rotation in either direction. A driving pawl 22 is pivoted at 22) to a main feeding lever 24, which in turn is pivoted by pivot pin or screw 25 upon a suitable bracket 26 provided upon one of the frame plates at. The driving pawl 22 is provided with a nose or tooth 27 which engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, so as to drive the ratchet wheel and through it the shaft 16 and drums 11 when the main feeding lever 24 is oscillated in one direction, that is, clockwise, in Fig. 2, the tooth 27 running idly over the teeth of the ratchet wheel during movement in the opposite direction, that is, counter-clockwise in Fig. 2. A spring 28, connected between. the pawl 22 and the lever 2 1, serves to hold the tooth 27 in contact with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 18, and therefore in driving relation therewith.

In order to release the ratchet wheel 18 and through it the shaft 16 and drums 11 during a. driving operation of the pawl 22, suitable provision is made to remove the locking tooth 21 from engagement with the gear or toothed wheel 17 during the driving movement, and to return it into locking position immediately at the conclusion of the driving operation. For this purpose a cam lever 29 is pivoted, as at 30, to the main feeding lever 24 and rests by gravity upon a guide pin 31, projecting from an adjacent side frame plate 4. The lever 29 is provided in its lower edge, and preferably at its forward end with a notch 32 which is adapted to drop over and engage with a pin 33 provided on the lever or pawl 19. The portion of the lower edge of the lever 29 which engages with the pin 31 is inclined upwardly, so as to provide a cam surface 34 normally riding on the pin 31.

WVhen the main lever 24 is swung counterclockwise in Fig. 2, the cam surface 34 will ride down the pin 81 and the lever 29 can, as it moves rearwardly, fall and snap its notch 32 over the pin Then during the reverse movement of the lever 24, that is clockwise in Fig. 2, and during which the driving pawl 22 is eifectlve to rotate the drums 11, the lever 29 acting through the pin 38 pushes the locking pawl or lever 19 away from the gear or wheel 17, so as to disengage the locking tooth 42' on the-cam surpasses the nose 41. spring 43 connected at one end to the lever 21 from the gear or wheel 17, and permit 1 at the instant that the desired increment of movement has been given the ratchet wheel 18 and drums 11 by the driving pawl 22. When such a disengagement ofthe lever 29 from'the pin 33 occurs, the holding pawl 19 will be released and will be shifted by a spring 35 towards the gear or wheel 17 to carry the locking tooth 21 into r e-engagement with the gear 17 and stop further movement in either direction of the drums 11 and record sheet 1. The spring 35 which yieldingly urges the lever 19 towards the gear 17 may be connected at its other end to the lever 24, as shown, or to a suitable part of the frame plate 4.

In order to cause driving oscillations of the lever 24 at regular time intervals, a motor 36, operated synchronously in accordance with lapse of time, may be suitably mounted on the base 37'ofthe device, and the shaft 38 of such a motor extendsthrough one of the frame plates 4 and carries thereon a cam 39. The cam 39 may be secured on the motor shaft in any suitable manner, such as by a set screw 40. The peripheral surface of the cam engages with a nose 41 of the lever 24, so as to force the lever 24 away from the motor shaft and then quickly release it as a drop 24, and at its other end to a suitable point of a frame plate 4, yieldingly urges the nose 41 of the lever 24 towards the cam 39. The movement of the nose 41 of the lever 24 towards the cam is limited by the locking of the ratchet wheel 18 and the gear 17 by the locking tooth 21 and also, if desired, by a stop member 43a adjustably, mounted by a slot 44 therein, upon a pin 45 carried by an adjacent frame plate 4, the lever 24 being limited in its clockwise movement (Fig. 2) by engagement with a projecting end of the stop member 43.

The motor 36 is preferably an electric motor of the alternating current synchronous type, which always rotates in synchronism with the generator supplying the current thereto regardless of the load, and the generator supplying this current is carefully synchronized with a suitable time piece, so that the rotation of the shaft of the motor 38 will be at an accurate and definite time rate. Through such a synchronous motor and the mechanism just described, as operated thereby for propelling the record sheet, the record sheet will be given step by step increments of movement corresponding accurately to intervals-of time, which intervals will preferably correspond to the transverse rulings of the record sheet.

i The" take-up roller 6 upon which the record sheet is wound after passing recording position, is rotatably mounted upon a shaft 46, which is in turn rotatably mounted in opposite side frame plates 4. A helical spring 47 (Figs. 3 and 5). is anchored at one end to a sleeve extension 48 of the take-up roller, and

at its other end to a ratchet wheel 49 which 4 gagement with the ratchet wheel 49 of a hold- -ingpawl 51 pivoted at 52 upona suitable bracket 53 carried by one of the frame plates 4. A spring 54 connected between the bracket 53- and the pawl 51 urges the pawl into continual contact with the ratchet wheel 49. A second driving pawl 55 is pivoted at 56 upon the main feeding lever 24 and also engages with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 49. A spring 57 connected at one end to the pawl 55 and at its other end to one of the frame plates 4 yioldingly urges the driving pawl 55 into continual engagement with the ratchet wheel 49. Y

When the lever 24 is operated counterclockwise, that is, while being set in a position ready to advance the record sheet a notch, and while the nose 41 is being forced along the inclined surface of the cam 39, the driving pawl 55 will propel the ratchet wheel 49 through a corresponding increment of movement, so as to tension the take-up spring 47 and keep it sufficiently wound at all times. A suitable leaf spring 58, secured to the base in any suitable manner, may be provided to hear at its free end upon the supply roller 2 and the record sheet wound thereon, as shown in Figs. 1 and2, and frictionally retard the unwinding of the record sheet. The shaft 3 mounting the supply roll 2 may be mounted in the frame plates 4 by means of downwardly inclined slots 59, and the spring 58 not only retards the unwinding or feeding oil of the record sheet, but also confines the shaft 3 of the supply roller to its bearings.

The recording stylus or element 7 is mounted on the lower end of a pin 60 which is mounted for vertical reciprocation in a carriage or mounting 61, the pinbeing normally and yieldingly held in its upperposition, with the stylus 7 out of contact with the record sheet, by a compression spring 62 provided upon and surrounding the upper end of the pin 60 and compressed between the upper surface of the mounting or carriage 6-1 and a collar or ring 63 on the upper end and guided by parallel track rods 65 and the latter in turn extend between and are supported by suitable parts of the frame plates 4:, so as to guide the mounting or carriage 61 transversely of the direction of travel of the record sheet 1, that is, along the table or bar 5. For convenience of assembly and disassembly, the mounting or carriage 61 may be made of two parts fitting against the guide or track rods 65 from opposite sides, and se cured together in any suitable manner, such as by screws 66, Fig. 8. A flexible cable or cord 67 is connected at one end to one end of the mounting or carriage 61, such as through an eye 68 on the mounting, passes through a suitable aperture in a frame plate t, and is guided over a roller guide or pulley 69 mounted on a bracket 70 of the adjacent plate 4. The cable or cord 67 then descends and is wound around and secured to a spring take-up drum 71, which is spring actuated in one direction. Thus the spring drum 71, Fig. 1, yieldingly urges the mounting or carriage 61 in one direction along the guide rods 65 and thus into an initial position which may, for convenience, be considered an initial recording or starting position, this position being shown in Fig. 8.

The mounting or carriage may be limited in its movement towards initial position in any suitable manner, such as by a sleeve 72 provided upon one of the guide rods 65 adjacent one of the frame plates 4: and against which the mounting or carriage 61 strikes at the end of its movement. As the carriage or mounting 61 moves along the guide rods and across the record sheet away from ini tial position, it will pull the cable or cord 67 in a direction tending to unwind it from the spring drum 71, and thus will tension the spring in the drum 71.

A pair of racks 73 and 7 4 are disposed adjacent to and parallel with the guide or track rods 65 and adjacent to the mounting or carriage 61, one of these racks, such as 74,

being mounted in opposite frame plates 4 for movement endwise of itself, that is, for reciprocating movements in directions parallel to the travel of the mounting or carriage 61. The teeth of both racks 7 3 and 7 4 are preferably of the ratchet type and are in v clined in the same direction. The other rack 73 is fixed against movement in any direction. Referring particularly to Figs. 10 to 12, a pair of pawls 75 and 76 are pivoted on the mounting or carriage 61 at opposite sides thereof by headed bearing pins which extend into bearing bosses 78 projecting from the upper surface of the carriage or mounting 61. These two pawls 7 5 and 76 fall or are biased by gravity against the upper toothed edges of the racks 73 and 74, so as to prevent by their engagement with the racks any movement of the mountingor carriage 61 by the cable 69 and the spring take-up drum 71.

A U-shaped frame 79 is tiltably mounted at points midway of its side arms upon the pivot pins 77 which mount the pawls 75 and 76, and the arms of this frame at their free ends are connected by a cross pin 80 which extends beneath the free ends of the pawls 7 5 and 76. Thus when the base or cross piece of the U-shaped frame 7 9 is tilted downwardly, the free ends of the arms which are connected by the cross pin 80 will be shifted upwardly and the pin 80 will engage and elevate both pawls 75 and 76 out of engagement with the racks 73 and 7 1. A, U-shaped wire spring 81 may extend over the frame 7 9 at its rear end, then under suitable washers or spacers 82, provided on the pins 77 between the pawls 75 and 76 and the mounting or carriage projections 78, and the arms of this spring are bent laterally in opposite directions, as at 83 to hook over the pawls 75 and 76 and urge them yieldingly into engagement with the racks 78 and 7 1. The spring 81 thus assists gravity in urging the pawls 75 and 76 towards the racks 78 and 7% as far as permitted by the cross pin 80.

A leaf spring 84, Figs, 7 to 10, is secured at one end to the rear end of the carriage or mounting 61, and at its free end yieldingly enga with the base or cross piece portion of the U-shaped frame 79, so as to yieldingly hold the frame 7 9 in either of its tilted posi tions, shown in Figs. 7 and 8. The free end of the spring 84 may have a convex hump which engages slightly beneath the cross piece of the U of the frame 79 when the frame is tilted to permit engagement of the pawls 75 and 76 with the racks and to engage fractionally with the end of the frame and hold it elevated when the frame is tilted to remove the pawls 75 and 76 from engagement with the racks, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

V'Vhen the pawls 7 5 and 76 are engaged with the racks, the rack 7 3 being fixed, will prevent return movement of the carriage or mounting 61 from any position into which it has been moved. While the carriage or mounting 61 is held in this manner after the movable rack is shifted endwise so that a new notch or tooth thereof snaps past the pawl 76, the resulting return movement of the rack 7 f will then cause a movement, through the pawl 76, of the carriage or mounting 61 further in an advance direction by an amount corresponding to the number of teeth of the rack 74 which were moved past the pawl 76 during the previous opposite movement of the rack 74. Thus, by reciprocating the movable rack 74, the carriage or mounting 61 may be advanced step by step in increments, and thus successively advanced into new recording positions against the action of the spring drum 71.

An actuating member 85 in the form of a bar is disposed above the path of travel of the recording pin'60 and extends in the direction of travel of the pin with the mounting or carriage '61. This bar is provided with depending sides 86 which extend along the rear of thesupporting frame. These arms86 areslidingrly confined against the rear face of the supporting frame by pins or screws 87 which pass through vertically elongated slots 88 in the :arms 86, thus permitting vertical reciprocation of the actuating member and its depending side arms 86. The lower ends of the arms 86 may be connected :by a cross bar 89 to which thecore 90 of an elec-' tromagnet or solenoid 91 may be attached. Thus when the core 90 is attracted into the electromagnet 91 by the energization of the electromagnet, "the actuating member 85, which extends over the carriage or mounting 61, will be pulled downwardly and by engaging the pin 60 regardless of the position of the pin 60 along its path of travel, will force the recording stylus into recording engagement with the record sheet 1, so as :to pierce the same and form a record thereon.

"A spring 92 may be connected between .a pin 93 on a side arm 86 of the actuatingmember 85, and a suitable pin 94 on a bracket 95 of the supporting frame, so as to yieldingly bias the side arms 86and the actuating member 85 upwardly and free of the recording pin 60. The upward movement of these parts under the action of the spring-92 maybe limited by the engagement of the cross "bar 89 witha stop member 96'adj ustably mounted on the bracket 95. The downward movement of the side arms 86 of the actuating member 85 may be limited by the engagement of the lower ends of one of the side arms 86 with the bracket 95. A stop 95a may alsobe placed in a position to be engaged by and limit the movement of the other side arm 86 A link 97 is pivoted at one end by a pin 98 to one of the side arms 86 of the actuating member 85, andzat its free end is provided with a slot 99 elongated lengthwise thereof, which receives the shank of a headed pin 100 iextending through theslot from a lever 101.

The lever 101 extends approximately parallel to the adjacent side arm 86, and its lower end is pivoted by pin 102 to a bracket 103 of the support frame. The free end of the lever 101 is connected by a pin 10 1 to one end of the movable rack 7 1, so that the latter may be reciprocated by oscillating the lever 101. .A spring 105, suitably anchored at one end, may bear at its free end upon the lever 101, so as to yieldingly urge it in a direction to propel or advance the carriage or mounting 61 intoa new recording position. When the actuating member 85 is in. its upper or normal position, the-link 97 will be oblique to the side arm 86 to which it is connected, and the spring 105 will bias the lever 101 in a manner to hold the pin 100 at one end of the slot 99, the movement of the lever and its gagement of this headed pin 100 with the end of the slot 99.

When the actuating member 85 is pulled downwardly by theenergization of the electromagnet 9.1, the link 97 will be rocked towards or .into a straight out position normal to the side arm 86 to whichit is connected, and in so moving will cam the lever 101 away from the support frame and draw the movable rack 74 endwise beneath the carriage or mounting 61, during which the pawl 76 will snap over one or more teeth of the movable rack. Then after the record has been made, and the actuating member 85 is elevated by the spring 92, the link 97 will return to its inclined position and permit movement of the lever 101 towards its former position under the actuation of the spring 105. During this movement, the lever 101 will return the movable rack bar 74 to its essential, and if omitted and a plain pivotal connect-ion provided between the link 97 and lever 101, the spring 92 which returns the actuating member 85 to its normal, inactive position, will through the link 97 pull the lever 101 in a -direction to advance the mounting or carriage 61. It has been found, how ever, that less accuracy of manufacture is necessary by providing the slot 99, and furthermore by providing the slot 99., the lever 101 may at any time be manually actuated to advance the recording element to a new recording position without operation of the recording stylus into engagement with the sheet, if such manual operation should be desired. V

The electromagnet 91 may be included in an electrical circuit, which is closed at each operation of a machine or apparatus, whose operations are to be recorded, and at successive energizations of this electromagnet, the recording stylus 7 will be actuated to make a record, and the other mechanism which has been described will be operated to advance the recording stylus in successive point in their return movement.

member of the U-shaped frame 79 as the stylus moves into engagement with the record sheet and will tilt the frame 79 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig, 9. In Fig. 9 the tilting is shown as completed at the completion of the downward or recording movement of the pin 60, which is depressed by the actuating member 85 in the downward movement of the latter.

The frame 79 in tilting disengages the pawls and 76 from the racks 73 and 74:, and therefore, as soon as the actuating member 85 starts upwardly following the deenergization of the electromagnet 91, the recording stylus will be disengaged from the record sheet and the carriage or mounting 61 will then be free for movement by the cable or cord 69 and the spring drum 71.- This drum will then pull the carriage or mounting 61 back to initial or starting position, the dotted lines in Fig. 9 indicating the position of the recording element and its mounting at an intermediate This return movement will continue until the mounting or carriage 61 strikes a stop which in this case is the sleeve 72, Fig. 8, and the parts will then remain in this position with the cross pin directly beneath another projection 1.07 depending from the actuating member 85.

At the next energization of the electromagnet 91, which will cause the making of a new record, the actuating member will descend and force the recording stylus 7 into the rec- 0rd sheet and during this actuating movement, the projection 107 will engage the cross pin 80 and tilt the pawl carrying frame 79 back into its position shown in Fig. 7 and permit reengagement of the pawls 75 and 76 with the racks 73 and 74:. During this downward movement of the actuating member 85, as in all other recording movements, the movable rack 7 4 will be moved endwise, even before the pawl 7 6 engages therewith. When, in this case, the actuating member 85 starts upwardly again at the conclusion of the recording operation, the endwise movement of the rack 74 which results will through the pawl 76, advance the mounting or carriage 61 to a new recording position, the same as before, and this advancement will continue at each following recording operation until the mounting of the carriage reaches the opposite side of the record sheet the same as before, when a new return movement will be effected in the same manner.

In the operation of a recording device of this tvne, the electric motor 36 will be connected for operation in accordance with lapse of time increments. and as the shaft 38 rotates, it will repeatedly rock and then release the main feeding lever 24;. This lever will operate the feeding drums 11 and advance the record sheet by increments, the record sheet being taken up, as rapidly as advanced, by

the take-up roller which is operated by a spring Whose tension is maintained by the pawl 55, which is also operated by the main. feeding lever. The electromagnct 91 is included in an electrical circuit which is closed at each operation of a machine or device, or at any time that a record is to be made, and the energization of this electromagnet will cause the engagement of the recording stylus 7 with the record sheet to make a record, and following that the advancement of the re cording stylus to a new recording position automatically. When the recording stylus has made a predetermined number of records after starting on its movement across the record sheet, or when the recording stylus has reached the opposite side of the record sheet, the mounting for the recording stylus will be released and returned to starting position automatically. At the next recording operation, the stylus will be advanced to a new recording position after the completion of that first record making operation.

It will be understood that while the record ing stylus is making a. single travel across the 7 record sheet, the record sheet will be advanced by increments to such an extent that when the stylus returns to starting position at one side of the record sheet, it will be at a different point along the length of the record sheet from that at which it started in its previous travel across the record sheet. It will. also be observed that the advancement and return of the recording stylus is effected between rccording operations and when the stylus is out of contact with the record sheet, and that the construction is relatively simple, durable, dependable and inexpensive, as well as compact.

It will be understood that by the term motor, as herein used, I intend to include clocks as the controllii'ig or propelling power for the record sheet.

It will be obvious that various changes in the details, which have been herein described and illustrated, in order to explain the nature A of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention 1. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, the combination of a recording element engageable with said sheet for recording thereon controlling operations, means operated automatically at each operation of the recording element for advancing said element to a succeeding recording position, means operable at the completion of a predeterminul I u l number of recording operations for incapacitating said advancing means and returning said element to initial recording position, and means operable automatically at the next recording operation for removing the incapacity of said advancing means.

. in'ent movable transversely of the direction of travel of said sheet and guiding said element into and out of recording relation with said sheet, means for advancing said mounting including a part movable with said mounting and a part arranged along the path of travel of said mounting, one of said parts being independently movable into and out of driving relation with the other part,

means operable after a predetermined ad-' l vancement of the mounting for effecting a disconnection of said parts and a return of said mounting to initial position, and means operable at the next recording operation for restoring said parts to driving relation with one another.

3. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into recording engagement with said sheet, means for guiding said mounting in a direction transversely to the path of travel of said sheet, means yieldingly biasing said mounting. into initial position, means for advancing said mounting in opposition to said bias progressively at each recording operation of said element, means for effecting a disconnection between said advancing means and said mounting after a predetermined number of recording operations to permit return of said mounting and recording element to initial position, means for preventing reengagement of said mounting and advancing means during the return of said mounting, and means operable after the mounting has completely returned to initial position for restoring the connection betweensaid-mounting and said advancing means at the beginning of the next succeeding recording operation.

4:. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element, means for guiding said element in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of said sheet, means for biasing said mounting yieldingly into an initial position, a stationary rack extending in the direction of travel of said mounting, a second rack also disposed along the path of travel of said mounting and movable endwise in the same direction, a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and individually engageable with said racks to hold said mounting against movement by said biasing means, and means for causing endwise movement of said movable rack away from normal position during the movement of the recording element into engagement with said sheet and for returning it to normal position during movement of said element out of recording engagement with said sheet, whereby one of said pawls will be engaged with a new tooth of said movable rack during the movement of the recording element into vrecording engagement with said sheet, and the mounting moved to a new recording position by the return of said movable rack to normal position as the re cording element moves out of engagement with the recording sheet.

5. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a re cording element, a mounting for said element, means for guiding said element in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of said sheet, means for biasing said mounting yieldingly into an initial position, a stationary rack extending in the direction of travel of said mounting, a second rack also disposed alongthe path of travel of said mounting and movable endwise in the samedirection, a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and individually engageable with said racks to hold said mounting against movement by said biasing means, means for causing endwise movement of said movable rack away from normal position during the movement of the recording element into engagement with said sheet and for returning it to normal position during movement of said element out of recording engagement with said sheet, whereby one of said pawls will be enea 'ed witha new tooth of said movable rack during the movement of the recording element into recording engagement with said sheet, and the mounting moved to a new recording position by the return of said movable rack to normal position as the recording element moves out of engagement with the recording sheet, means operable automatically after predetermined number ofrecording operations for removing said pawls from both of said racks and holding them disengaged, and means operable after the mounting has returned to initial position for returning said pawls into driving relation with both of said racks.

6. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element, means for guiding said element in a direction transverse to the direction of travel of said sheet, means for biasing said mounting yieldingly into an initial position, a stationary rack extending in the direction of travel of said mounting, a second rack also disposed along the path of travel of said mounting and movable endwise in the same direction, a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and individually engageable with said racks to hold said mounting against movement bysaid biasing means. means for causing endWise movement of said movable rack away from normal position during the movement of the recording element into en- 'gagement with said sheet, and for returning it to normal position during movement of said element out of recording engagement with said sheet, whereby one of said pawls will be engaged with a new tooth of said movable rack during the movement of the recording element into recording engagement with said sheet, and the mounting moved to a new recording position by the return of said movable rack LO normal position as the recording element moves out of engagement with the recording sheet, means operable automatically after a predetermined number of recording operations for removing said pawls from both of said racks and holding them disengaged, means operable after the mounting has returned to initial position for returning said pawls into driving relation with both of said racks, and means operable automatically after the mounting has returned to initial position and at the beginning of the next recording operation for restoring said pawls to engagement with both of said racks.

7. In recordin g device of the type having a record sheet advance-d progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into and out of engagement with said sheet, means for "aiding said mounting transversely oi the direction of travel of said sheet, means for advancing said mounting at eacn operation of the recording clement including arack part and a pawl 1 art cooperating with one another, one of said parts being connected to said mounting for movement therewith and the other part being disposed adjacent thereto and mounted for limited movements to and from the normal position and in the direction of travel of said n'iounting, and means operable at each operation of said recording element into engagement vith said sheet for causing a movement of said moving part to advance said mounting to a new recording position.

8. In a recording device oi the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into and out of engagement with said sheet, means for guiding said mounting transversely of the direction of travel of said sheet, means for advancing said mounting at each operation of the recordin g element including a rack part and a, pawl part cooperating with one another, one of said parts being connected to said mounting for movement therewith and the other part being disposed adjacent thereto and mounted for limited movements to and from the normal position and in the direction of travel of said mounting, means operable at each operation of said recording element into engagement with said sheet for causing a movement of said moving part to advance said mounting to a new recording position, means yieldingly biasing said mounting to initial recording position, means normally preventing movements of said mounting to- Wards initial position, means operable automatically after a predetermined number of recording operations for effecting disengage, ment of said parts and incapacitating said return movement preventing means, and means operable after said mounting has returned to initial position for reconnecting said parts and removing the incapacitation of said return movement preventing means.

9. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively. a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into and out of engagement with said sheet, means for guiding said mounting transversely of the direction of travel of said sheet, means for advancing said mounting at each operation of the recording element including a rack part and a pawl part cooperating with one another, one of said parts being connected to said mounting for movement therewith, and the other part being disposed adjacent thereto and mounted forlimited movements to and from the normal position and in the direction of travel of said mounting means operable at each. operation of said recording element into engagement with said sheet for causing a movement of said moving part to advance said mounting to a new rccoromg position, means yieldingly biasing said mounting to initial recording position, means normally preventing movements of said mounting towards initial position, means operable automatically after a predetermined number of recording operations for effecting disengagement of said parts and incapacitating said return movement preven ing means, and means operable after said mounting has returned to initial. position, for re connecting said parts and removing the incapacitation of said return movement preventing means, said reconne *tion of said parts being effective at the beginning of the first recording operation after the mounting has returned to initial position.

10. In a recording device 01 the t ing a record sheet advamted pro; a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into and out of engagement with said sheet, means for guiding said mounting transversely oi? the direction of travel of said sheet, a support ing frame, an actuating member mounted on said frame for movement to force the recording element into engagement with said sheet at any position of said mounting, a pair of racks extending adjacent to and in the direction of travel of said mounting, pawls carried by said mounting and engaging with said racks, the engagement of the pawls and racks causing advancing movements of said mounting and preventing return movements, and means connected to said actuating member for causing endwise movement of one of said rack bars to cause the engagement no h avcss zively,

- tional means also carried by said actuating of an advance notch thereof with'its 00- operating pawl during movement of said recording element into engagement with said sheet and returning said movable rack to normal position as the recording element is ing the engagement of its cooperatingpawl with a new notch of that rack.

11. In a recording device of the type having, a record sheet advanced progressively, a recording element, a mounting for said element guiding the element into and out of engagement with said sheet, means for guiding said mounting transversely of the direction of travel of said sheet, a supporting frame, an actuating member mounted on said frame for movement to force the recording element into engagement with said sheet at any position ofsaid mounting, a

pair of racks extending adjacent to and in the direction of travel of said mounting, pawls carried by said mounting and engaging with said racks, the engagement of the pawls and racks causing advancing move ments of said mounting and preventing return movements, means connected to said actuating member for causing endwise movement of one of said rack bars to cause the engagement of an advance notch thereof with its cooperating pawl during movement of said recording element into engagement with said sheet and returning said movable rack to normal position as the recording element is released for movement away from said sheet. whereby; the return of said movable rack bar to normal position will advance the mounting to a succeeding recording position, the engagement of the other pawl with the fixed rack preventing retrograde movement of said mounting while the movable rack is causing the engagement of its cooperating pawl with a new notch of that rack, means carried by said mounting and movable alternately between two positions in one of which it disengages both pawls from said racks, and in the other position of which it releases said pawls and racks, means for yieldingly holding said last named means in both of said positions, and means carried by said actuating member and operable upon said pawl. controlling means for shifting it into its position to disengage the pawls from the racks after a predetermined movement of recording operations, and addimember and operable on said pawl disengaging means for returning it to the other of its positions to release said pawls and said racks.

12. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a'

supporting frame, a recording element, a

mounting for said recording element guid ing said element into and out ofengagcment with said sheet, said frame guiding said mounting in movements transversely of the direction of movement of said sheet, an actuating member mounted for reciprocation on said frame, a pair of racks extending in the direction of movement of said mounting means, connecting means between said actuating member and one of said racks for re ciprocating that rack at each operation of the recording element, and a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and engaging with said racks, one of said pawls and the station ary rack preventing return movement of said mounting, and the other pawl andthe movable rack causing step by step advancement of the mounting during the return reciprocation movement of said movable rack.

13. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a supporting frame, a recording element, a mounting for said recording element guiding said element into and out-of engagement with said sheet, said frame guiding said mounting .in movements transversely of the direction of ment, a pair of pawls carried by said mou-nting and engagingwith said racks, oneof said pawls and the stationary rack preventing return movement of said mounting, and the other pawl and the movable rack causing step by step advancement of the mounting during the return reciprocation movement of said movable rack, means connected to said mounting for biasing it into initial position from which it is moved by said movable rack,

means carried by said mounting and operable by said actuating member after a predetermined advancement of said mounting for disengaging both of said pawls from said racks and holding them disengaged and means operable after the complete return of said mounting to initial position for restoring said pawls to cooperation with said racks.

14. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced progressively, a supportingframe, a recording element, a mounting for said recording element guiding said element into and out of engagement with said sheet, said frame guiding said mounting in movements transversely of the direction of-movement of said sheet, an actuating member mounted for reciprocation on said frame, a pair of racks extending in the direction of movement of said mounting means, connecting means between said actuating member and one oi said racks tor reciprocating that rack at each operation of the recording element, a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and engaging With said racks, one of said pawls and the stationary rack preventing return movement of said mounting, and the other pawl and the movable rack causing step by step advancement of the mounting during the return reciprocation movement of said movable rack, means connected to said mounting for biasing it into initial position from Which it is moved by said movable rack, means carried by said mounting and operable by said actuating member after a predetermined advancement of said mounting for disengaging both of said pawls from said racks and holding them disengaged, and means operable after the complete return of said mounting to initial position for restoring said paivls to cooperation With said racks, said last named means being operated by said actuating member at the beginning of the first recording operation after the mounting has returned to initial position.

15. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet advanced ijirogressively, the combination of a supporting frame, a mounting guided by said frame for movement transversely of the direction of travel of the sheet, a recording element carried by said mounting for indepeneent movement thereon into and out of engagement with said sheet, an actuating member mounted on said frame for causing movement of said element into engagement with said sheet in all positions of said mounting, a rack extending in the direction of movement of said mounting and mounted for reciprocation in that direction, a connection between said member and said rack for causing a complete reciprocation of said rack at each complete movement of said actuating member, and means associated With said mounting and rack for causing the step by step advancement of said mounting by said IZLCl-I at each recording operation, and for causing the complete return of said mounting to initial position after a predetermined number of recording operations.

16. In a recording device of the type having a record sheet progressively advanced, the combination of a supporting frame, a mounting guided by said frame transversely of the direction of movement of said sheet, a recording element carried by said mounting and engageable With said sheet, a pair of racks extending in the direction of travel of said mounting, a pair of pawls carried by said mounting and individually engageable with said racks in a manner to prevent movement of the mounting in one direction and permit free movement of the mounting in the other direction, means yieldingly biasing said mounting for movement in the first direction which is prevented by said racks and paivls, an actuating member mounted for reciprocation on said frame, a lever pivoted to said frame and connected at one end to one of said racks to cause endwise reciprocation thereo'f when said lever is oscillated, and means including a link connecting said actuating member and said lever for caus ing an oscillation ofsaid lever and through it a reei arocation of said actuating member, \vherel'iy said mounting Will be advanced one step at each operation of said actuating member.

SElVAR-D E. SWVICK. 

